The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Abridge \A*bridge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abridged; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Abridging.] [OE. abregen, OF. abregier, F.
   abr['e]ger, fr. L. abbreviare; ad + brevis short. See Brief
   and cf. Abbreviate.]
   1. To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to
      diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge labor; to abridge
      power or rights. "The bridegroom . . . abridged his
      visit." --Smollett.
      [1913 Webster]

            She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her
            train from state to necessity.        --Fuller.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining
      the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to abridge a
      history or dictionary.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To deprive; to cut off; -- followed by of, and formerly by
      from; as, to abridge one of his rights.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

abridge
    v 1: reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The
         manuscript must be shortened" [syn: abridge,
         foreshorten, abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract,
         reduce] [ant: dilate, elaborate, enlarge, expand,
         expatiate, exposit, expound, flesh out,
         lucubrate]
    2: lessen, diminish, or curtail; "the new law might abridge our
       freedom of expression"

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

ABRIDGE, v.t.  To shorten.

        When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for
    people to abridge their king, a decent respect for the opinions of
    mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel
    them to the separation.
                                                       Oliver Cromwell